Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced yesterday that five initiative petitions met criteria for circulation.

One petition would allow for more early voting options, instead of relying purely on absentee ballot voting. It would amend the Missouri Revised Statutes.

Two similar petitions for a constitutional amendment would facilitate early voting and change election procedures by including, “certain procedures relating to voter identification affidavits, voting address updates, and provisional ballots.” All the early voting initiatives were submitted by Matt Cologna of Springfield.

Two petitions would shrink the size of the Missouri House of Representatives from 163 seats to 103 beginning in 2023. According to the petition language, reducing the house by 60 representatives would yield $4.7 million in savings for the state government. The petitions were submitted by Russell Purvis of Kansas City.

In order for constitutional changes to make it to a ballot, they must contain signatures equal to 8% of the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election in 6 of Missouri’s Congressional districts. Statutory changes require 5%.